Monday 4th March saw my first trip to the Arcola Theatre in Dalston for simple8’s production of The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. The play, inspired by the 1920s German film phenomena, is a witty adaptation of the original silent horror picture. The plot is centred around the character of Francis Gruber, a bumbling bureaucrat in love with the Mayor’s daughter and a pitiable victim of his school nemesis, Otto. The arrival of a travelling fair in this quiet German town sparks a spiral of events, including the murders of Gruber’s superior and his enemy, Otto. The mysteriously suspect character of Dr Caligari, a somnambulist, prevails over the plot as he reveals his show of Cesare the sleepwalker at the fair. The plot progresses rapidly, leading the audience through a darkly humorous and wildly entertaining depiction of the events as they unravel and wreak havoc in the town.
Using minimalist set and props, the company draws on the Expressionist stylisation of movement, which not only gives great comic effect, but remains faithful to the original production. Having since seen the film, I also noticed the important aspect of music within the play. The original, given the complete absence of speech, features an excellent score which emphasises, for example, the jovial nature of the fair or creates a fearful atmosphere at particularly poignant moments. Similarly, the actors each played instruments and sang to capture a variety of moods, from the raucous and chaotic fair workers to the slow building tension preceding each murder scene.The lighting was also cleverly manipulated, making the need for extensive set and props obsolete.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a wonderful example of just how much can be achieved through the talent of a strong cast, technical team and creative direction when using minimal resources. The production is now in it’s final days at the Arcola Theatre, and I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to see it before it’s closing night this Saturday! For tickets or other info, click here:
http://www.arcolatheatre.com/production/arcola/the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari
